One Truth, Two Tickets

If you ask a Chennaite, where he wishes to
take a short road trip in a weekend, then definitely most of them will prefer
East Coast Road, popularly called ECR particularly for its scenic highway along
the Bay of Bengal. But to me travelling in this road during weekend in a public
transport is the first thing I would hate to do. I live in a place which is in
between Chennai and Pondicherry and ECR is the shortest route through which one
can travel to Chennai. ECR is loved by those who visit occasionally and detested
by those who travel regularly either due to accidents which occur very
frequently or due to the crowd in the bus. The condition during weekends will
be worst and you have to hang in footboard and travel for more than an hour. If
this is the condition during a weekend, one can understand the experience
during Diwali where almost everyone prefers to go their hometown to spend time
along with their loved one’s during the festival season.

Source: Wikimedia

Koyambedu mofussil bus terminus, which is Asia’s
second largest is the starting point for all outstation buses from Chennai.
After this main depot, there are 6 other bus stops within Chennai. But the fact
is that you will not get even a corner to stand if you miss to board the bus in
Koyambedu. The problem for me is quite different, though all the buses have to stop
in my locality; conductors usually don’t allow passengers other than those who
take ticket to Pondicherry to board the bus before Thiruvanmiyur which is the last
and final stop within Chennai. The main reason is passengers travelling to Pondicherry
prefer to travel seated and conductors don’t want to lose even a single passenger
due to unavailability of seats. Many a
times complaints were lodged to State Transport Corporation regarding such
harassment, but the problem continues even now. Conductors used to stand
outside the bus before it starts and used to keep saying that only Pondicherry
tickets has to get in. If someone ignores him , then they will be yelled in
front of all passengers and as usual no co-passengers comes in rescue of you,
after all they get a seat if you wake up.

Source: HINDU.com

I went
with my family for a last minute shopping during this Diwali and faced similar situation.
We decided to turn back before 4PM to skip the crowd in the evening. But
nothing goes as planned and we reached the bus stop only at 05.30PM. The bus
stand was like a carnival and every bus which is to start a couple of hours
later were full and people were standing inside not sad but happy that they got
a place inside. Mine is a travel of an hour and half. No conductors allowed us
to board and I was bit worried to board ignoring them. Passengers were
quarrelling with drivers and conductors about why they were not allowed to
board, just because they have to get down in between. Conductors were bothered
about the revenue, giving my seat to one who travels to Pondicherry will get
him double my charge. More the collection more is his bonus. We waited for more
than 2 hours, but the crowd didn’t see to decrease. Finally I decided to take
the vehicle ignoring the conductors and pretended initially to be someone travelling
to the final destination, got a seat and didn’t say anything or responded to
the conductor’s call before the bus started. The bus finally started and the
conductor started to give tickets from the front. It took him more than half an
hour to reach me, but the bus has not moved even to the second stop due to the
heavy traffic. I also had a thought that he might ask me to get down in the
next stop. I gave him money and asked two tickets to Kalpakkam which is my
locality. He didn’t take the money, instead stared at me. He yelled whether I
don’t understand Tamil or I had not heard what he said all time before the bus
started. I could have lied and acted that my mother who travels with me is sick
and I don’t have any other option. In fact, that was the advice given to me
from a stranger which encouraged us to get into the bus. It is true that if I
say that my mom is not well, the conductor may scream for some time and will
give a seat at least to my mom, asking me to get up and give space to someone
else who travels to Pondicherry. But I preferred to tell the actual scenario. I
told him that I had been waiting in the bus stop for more than two hours, as
there was no other option I got into the bus. I also told him that it was my situation
and if there is any target provided to the conductors by the transport
corporation which is forcing them to do so, then I said that is fine for me to
pay more and take Pondicherry ticket, even though I am going to get down in
between. He had a smile and took the
actual cost to my stop and moved to next passenger without saying anything. It
is the truth which not just got me a seat, but an idea or solution to a long standing
issue too. Repeated complaints to State transport corporation or grievance cell
didn’t have any result. But just a voluntary acceptance to pay extra charge not
just helped that day but is still giving a better result. No conductor will
take the voluntary acceptance and give a long distance ticket; after all it is
like digging his own graveyard.